The invention relates to a refrigerator with a heat-insulating housing, within which are provided at least two refrigerating compartments of different temperature, the evaporators of which can be activated separately from one another by at least one activation element, each of the evaporators being preceded on the inflow side by a throttle line serving for lowering the pressure of the refrigerant forcibly circulated by a refrigerant compressor, at least one of the throttle lines being equipped with a marking for placing it in the correct position to the activation element.
In refrigerators with multiple temperature zones, it is conventional, for acting upon the evaporators associated with the individual refrigerating compartments, to use 3/2-way solenoid valves that are followed by what are referred to as capillary tubes for lowering the pressure of the refrigerant forcibly circulated by a refrigerant compressor. To connect the capillary tubes in the correct position to the outlets of the 3/2-way solenoid valve, hitherto, markings on the capillary tubes have been used in the form of color markings and a wavy shape of the capillary tube. In such an identification of the capillary tubes, it was shown that, after the refrigerator has run through the preceding production sequence, in most cases the identification for connecting the capillary tube in the correct position to the solenoid valve is unrecognizable to the extent that an unequivocal association of the respective capillary tube to the correct outlet of the solenoid valve is no longer possible for a production worker.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a refrigerator, a marking system, and a method for marking that overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and that rectifies the disadvantages of the prior art by simple structural measures.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a refrigerator, including a heat-insulating housing defining at least two refrigerating compartments of different temperatures, evaporators associated with each of the compartments, each of the evaporators having an inflow side, at least one activation element connected to the evaporators and separately activating each of the evaporators, throttle lines respectively connected to each of the evaporators at the inflow side for circulating refrigerant, a refrigerant compressor connected to the throttle lines and to the at least one activation element, and forcibly circulating the refrigerant in the throttle lines, at least one of the refrigerant compressor and the throttle lines lowering pressure of the refrigerant circulated by the refrigerant compressor, and at least one of the throttle lines having a marking for assigning the at least one throttle line in a correct position with respect to the at least one activation element, the marking being formed by a separate structural element applied one of positively and nonpositively to the at least one throttle line.
According to the invention, the marking is formed by a separate structural element applied positively and/or nonpositively to the throttle line.
By the identification, according to the invention, of the connection-side throttle pipeline section facing the activation element configured, for example, as a 3/2-way solenoid valve, a marking for the throttle pipeline is provided, which, even after a runthrough production, ensures a permanent, clearly visible, and, therefore, direct association of the throttle line end sections to the respective outlet of the solenoid valve. A production worker can, consequently, mount onto the line ends in the correct position quickly and specifically in a simple way. Furthermore, such an identification of the throttle line is insensitive both in the case of thermal influences arising during the run of the refrigerator through production and to deformations on the throttle lines configured as a capillary tube. To that extent, a permanent identification of the throttle line is provided, which makes it possible to handle a refrigerator in the production process of the latter without special precautionary measures taking the identification into account.
A structural element serving for identifying the throttle lines can be provided particularly cost-effectively when, in accordance with another feature of the invention, the structural element is configured as a commercially available standard component. Consequently, by a commercially available standard component being used, the cost-intensive specific development of a component for marking the throttle line is avoided.
The structural element can be attached particularly simply to the throttle line configured as a capillary tube when, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, the structural element is provided, at least in portions, on the outer surface of the throttle line on the circumference of the throttle line.
The throttle line end sections to be connected on the outlet side to the multi-way solenoid valve can be distinguished particularly clearly in visible terms when, in accordance with an added feature of the invention, the structural element surrounds the throttle line in a tube-like manner in the fastening state. By the connection section of the throttle lines being clearly identified visibly, not only is the connection work made markedly easier for the production personnel, but also, moreover, the time spent in correct position placement is also appreciably reduced.
The commercially available structural element serving for identifying the throttle lines, on one hand, can be provided cost-effectively and, on the other hand, can be attached particularly quickly, reliably in position, and easily in terms of production when, in accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the structural element is configured as a commercially available standard crimped part.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the at least one structural element is a plurality of structural elements connected to at least some of the throttle lines and respectively identifying each of the throttle lines.
In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, the structural element is a plurality of structural elements connected to at least some of the throttle lines, a number of the structural elements on a respective one of the throttle lines providing a unique identification of the at least some of the throttle lines.
In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention, the at least one structural element ifs a plurality of structural elements and a different number of the structural elements is connected to each of the throttle lines for respectively identifying each of the throttle lines from one another.
In the case of a plurality of throttles configured as capillary tubes, reliably position placement to the connections of the multi-way solenoid valve is ensured in a particularly simple way when, each of the throttle lines is identified, the number of structural elements that serve for identification being different for each throttle line.
With the objects of the invention in view, in combination with a refrigerator having a heat-insulating housing defining at least two refrigerating compartments of different temperatures, evaporators associated with each of the compartments, each of the evaporators having an inflow side, at least one activation element connected to the evaporators and separately activating each of the evaporators, throttle lines respectively connected to each of the evaporators at the inflow side for circulating refrigerant, and a refrigerant compressor connected to the throttle lines and to the at least one activation element, and forcibly circulating the refrigerant in the throttle lines, at least one of the refrigerant compressor and the throttle lines lowering pressure of the refrigerant circulated by the refrigerant compressor, there is also provided a marking system including a marking connected to at least one of the throttle lines for assigning the at least one throttle line in a correct position with respect to the at least one activation element, the marking being formed by a separate structural element applied one of positively and nonpositively to the at least one throttle line.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided a marking system for assigning at least one throttle line in a correct position with respect to at least one activation element of a refrigerator, including a marking to be connected to the at least one throttle line, the marking being formed by a separate structural element applied one of positively and nonpositively to the at least one throttle line.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided a method for identifying throttle lines in a refrigerator having different refrigeration compartments, including the steps of fluidically connecting throttle lines to evaporators associated with each of the refrigeration compartments and identifying each of the throttle lines by one of positively and nonpositively applying structural elements to at least one of the throttle lines, a number of the structural elements on a respective one of the throttle lines providing a unique identifier for the respective one of the throttle lines associated therewith.
Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a refrigerator, a marking system, and a method for marking, it is, nevertheless, not intended to be limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.